Railway-traffic-controlling apparatus



y 1,624, 20 .Aprll 12, 1927- H A WALLACE 5 RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLINGAPPARATUS 'Filed Angl?. 1925 Sufyf-eesiny y "('g l417561@71171 fe 7 iiConvlledby VzlVe r ofnlad 8 "I" Thaffc Conditions u 0 Pressure Z 1 IApplieslkes when Pleasure in Reduced.

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Patented Apr. l12,` 1927. v

nirso STATES HERBERT A. WALLACE, OF EDGEVGGD; l2() UNON SVITCH @cSIGNALCOMPANY, O v TION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

BQUGE, FENNS'SZLVA'N .ASSIGNOR TO TEE E SVVISSVALE, PENNSYLVAIA,ACDRE'GRA- RAILWAYfTRAFFIC-CONTROLLING APARATS.

Application filed August My invention relates' to railway traiiiccontrolling apparatus, and particularly to apparatus oil the typecomprising train carried governing means controlled in ac cordance withtraiiic conditions in vadvance ot the train. f

More specifically, my'finvention relates to apparatus of the typecomprising automatic mechanism onV the train for causing an automaticapplication of the brakes under unsate traiiic conditions. @ne -featureof my invention is the provision in a system of'this type of means forrendering the automatic brake applying mechanism-ineffective under`unsafe traffic conditions provided both the fireman and the enginemantake suitableY action.

I will describe two forms otrailwaytratlic controlling apparatusembodying my invention, and will then poiii'tout'the novel feav turesthereof in claims.

ln thel accompanying drawing, Fig; '.1 is a view, partly diagrammatic,showing one form of railway traffic controlling apparat-us embodying myinvention. Fig. 12 `is a View showing a modified form of the apparatusillustrated in Fig. 1 and also embodying my invention.

'Similar similar parts in both views.

Referring first to Fig. l, the reference character A designates abrakevalve comreiferencecharacters refer to prising a valve body 4 containingtwo cham* bers 5 and 6. Chamber 5 is` constantly cennectedv withatmosphere. inunicates with a pipe l which is normally supplied withfluid pressure and which is arranged. to apply the brakes whenpressurein this pipe is reduced.v Valve A also comprises a plunger 2 providedwith an armature 7. Associated with this1 plunger is awinding 8;.. Thiswinding is Lcontrolled in accorda-nce with traffic conditions in advancebymeans which form nopart :of my present invention andv which `areomitted from*I the drawing for the` sake of simplicity. For' presentpurposes it is suiiicient to state that under sate, or proceed, trafficconditions winding 8 is energized, but that under unsate, or stop,tratlic. conditions wind-ingvS. is

de-energized. The plunger 2 is constantly'- urged upwardly by a springSand when` plunger Qis in its4 upper position. pipe 9 is connected. withchamber-6; When winding,

Chamber 6 coin--j i7, 19:25. seria; no. 50,607.

application of the brakes.

The suppressing valve B comprises a chamber 1l and a iiexible diaphragm12V which is subjected to the iiuid pressure inA this chamber; A plunger13 is controlled by the diaphragm l2 and this plunger in turn carries apiston 14 and ya piny valve 40. They plunger i8 is normally biased, by;a spring l0, to a lower position wherein pipe 9 is connected withreservoir l5 and valve 40 is closed. -l'lill'ien luid'pressureissupplied to chamber il., diaphragmA l2 isA moved up-` wardly, liftingpiston lei and valve 40. to their upper positions. Reservoir 15 is thendisconnected from pipe 9 and luid'pressure is supplied to this reservoirfrom a source not shown in the drawing through pipe 4l and valve 40. itunder these lcoi'iditions winding 5B of valve A becomesv cle-energizedan automatic applicationv of `thebrakes cannot result because pipe 9 isblanked by piston ill. 'Y i rlie suppressing' valve B is controlled bytwol acknowledging valves C and Dwhich through pipe 9, therebydecreasing the pres- Y sure in vpipe l and causing an automatic arevlocatedy in such-positions in the locomo" tive cab that they may beconveniently 0perated by the engineman and fireman, respectively. rilheenginemans acknowledging valve comprises a valve body C2 and a movabievalve member C Similarly', the tirenians `acknowledging valve Dcomprises a valve bodyv D2 Vand a-.inovable valve member D. .'As shownin the drawing both the enginemans acknowledging valve C'and thefiremans acknowledging valve D are in their normal' positions. With theapparatus in a suitable'source not shownin-tlie drawing throughgpipe 20,valve C, pipes` 19 and 19a,

this conditionffluid pressure is supplied from check valve 21, pipe 22,valve D and pipe 23 to an acknowledging reservoir 24. The acknowledgingreservoir is therefore charged with fluid pressure. If it is desired 1ooperate the suppressing valve B to prevent an automatic application ofthe brakes, the engineman reverses valve C and the fire man reversesvalve D. The reversal of valve C disconnects pipe 19 from pipe 20 andconnects pipe 19 with pipe 17. The reversal of valve D disconnects pipe23 from pipe 22 and connects pipe 23 with pipe 25. Fluid pressure istherefore supplied from the acknowledging reservoir 24, through pipe 23.valve D, pipe 25. check valve 26, pipes 2T and 19, valve C and pipe 17to chamber 11 of suppressingr valve B. The pressure thus supplied tochamber 11 lifts the diaphragm 12 to close the suppressing valve B.thereby disconnecting' reservoir 15 from pipe 9 and charging thisreservoir with fluid pressure. With the apparatus in this condition anautomatic application ot the brakes is prevented even though winding 8of valve A should become de-energized- The pressure in reservoir 24 andchamber 11 is gradually dissipated to atmosphere through a restrictedorifice 16 in valve B, so that after a time interval the pressure inchamber 11 is reduced sufiicientlv to permit spring 10 to restoreplunger 13 to its lower position.

Pipe 1 will then be connected with reservoir 15 through pipe 9, butreservoir 15 has been previousl)7 charged with fluid pressure andtherefore this operation of valve `B does not cause a reduction in thepressure in pipe 1. It, therefore, the suppressing valve B is operatedprior to the deenergi nation of valve A. an automatic application of thebrakes is prevented even though valve B subsequeutlv returns to itsoriginal position and even though valve A remains in its dernergizedcondition.

It valve C is in its normal position and valve D is in its reverseposition. check valve 26 prevents the supplv of fluid pressure toreservoir 24 and valve C prevents fluid pressure which mav exist inreservoir 24 from being supplied to chamber 11. of valve B. On the otherhand. if valve C is in the reverse position and valve D is in the normalposition valve C prevents the supplv of fluid pressure to the reservoir24 and check valve 21 prevents the supplv of fluid pressure fromacknowledging reservoir 24 to chamber 11 of valve B. -It will thereforebe plain that in order to charge acknowledginer reservoir 24. bothvalves C and D must be in their normal positions` and in order tooperate valve B by pressure in the acknowledging reservoir, both valvesC and D must occupy their reverse positions. The apparatus thereforeinsures that both the engineman and the fireman are alert because iteither fails to operate his acknowledging valve at the proper time, thesuppressing valve B cannot be operated to prevent an automatic brakeapplication should valve A become open.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the brake valve A and the suppressing valve Bare similar to the corresponding parts shown in Fig. 1 with the singleexception that the restricted port 16 is omitted from valve B. Theacknowledging valves C and D are illustrated in their normal positions.wherein chamber 11 of valve B is connected with atmosphere through pipe17, port 32 of valve C. and a restricted orifice 33. so that valve B isopen. Under theseconditions also. Huid pressure is supplied from pipe20. through port 28 of valve C, pipe 29. port 30 of valve D and pipes 31and 23 to acknowledging reservoir 24. This reservoir is thereforecharged with fiuid pressure. I will now assume that valves C and D aremoved to their reverse positions. Pipe is then disconnected from pipe 29and pipe 29 is connected with port 33. .At the same time pipe 35 is connected with pipe 17 bv means of port 34 of valve C. The reversal ofvalve D connects pipe 31 with a restricted orifice 36 bv means of portof valve D. and connects pipe 23 with pipe b v port 38 of valve D.Pressure in acknowledging "reservoir 24 then flows through pipes 23 and2Bfjport 3R of valve D. pipe 35. port 34 of valve C and pipe 17 tochamber ll of suppressing valve B. Diaphragm 12 is therefore. lifted.moving plunger 13 upwardly to disconnect pipe S) from reservoir 15 andcharge this rescrvoirwith fluid pressure. The pressure in reservoir 24-also Hows through pipes 23 and 31. port 30 of valve D and restrictedorifice 36 to atmosphere. Af

ter a time interval. therefore. the pressure in reservoir 24 and chamber11 is so reduced bv dissipation to atmosphere through port fifi thatspring 10 restores plunger 12% to its lower position and again connectspipe 9 with reservoir 15.

I will assume that valves C and D both occupv their normal positions sothat reservoir 24 is charged with fluid pressure. and that the enginemanreverses his acltnowl edging valve C. but that the fireman leaves thevalve D in its normal position. The reversal ot valve C connects pipe 17with pipe 35. but pipe 35 is connected with atmosphere at orifice 36 bvmeans ot port 37 in valve D and therefore no pressure is supplied tochamber 11 of valve B. The re versal of valve C also connects pipe 29with restricted orifice 33 and pressure from reservoir 24 thereforeflows through pipes 23 and 31. port 3() of valve D. pipe 29. port 28 ofvalve C and restricted orifice 33 to atmosphere` The pressure inacknowledging reservoir 24 is therefore slowly dissipated to nectingsaid reservoir with said chamber when both said valves are in theirreverse positions..

7'. In combination on a train, automatic brake applying mechanismresponsive to traflic conditions in advance of the train, a suppressingvalve comprising a chamber and means for rendering said automaticmechanism ineffective to apply the brakes when said chamber is suppliedwith fiuid pressure, a pipe, a source of fluid pressure, a firstmanually operable valve for connecting said pipe with said chamber orwith said source depending upon the position of such valve, a reservoir,a second manually operable valve capable of a normal or a reverseposition, a first check valve for permitting the fiow of fluid pressurefrom said pipe to said reservoir when said second manually operablevalve is in its normal position, and a second check valve :torpermitting the flow ci fluid pressure from said reservoir to said pipewhen said second manually operable valve is in the reverse ].)osition.

8. In combination on a train, automatic brake applying mechanismresponsive to tafiic conditions in advance of the train, suppressingmeans including a chamber and arranged to render said automaticmechanism ineflective to apply the brakes when said chamber is suppliedwith fluid pressure, a reservoir, two separate manually operable valveseach capable of a normal or a reverse position, means effective whenboth said valves are in their normal positions for charging saidreservoir with fluid pressure, means effective when either said valve isin its reverse position for connecting said reservoir with atmospherethrough a restricted orifice, and means effective when both said valvesare in their reverse positions for connecting said reservoir with saidchamber.

9. In combination, on a train, automatic brake applying mechanismresponsive to traffic conditions in advance of the train, suppressingmeans includingr a chamber and arranged to render said automaticmechanism ineffective to apply the brakes when said chamber is suppliedwith fiuid pressure, a reservoir, two separate manually operable valveseach capable of a normal or a reverse position, means effective onlywhen both said valves are in their normal positions for charging saidreservoir with fluid pressure, means efl'ective when either said valveis in its normal position 'for connecting said chamber with atmosphere,means effective when either said valve is in its `reverse position forconnecting said reservoir with atmosphere through a restricted orifice,and

means effective when said valves are both in their reverse positions forconnecting said reservoir with said chamber.

l0. In combination on a train, automatic brake applying mechanismresponsive to traffic conditions in advance of the train, suliipressingmeans including a chamber and arranged to render said automaticmechanism ineffective to apply the brakes when said chamber is suppliedwith fluid ressure, two separate manually operable va ves and meansefi'ective when both said valves are operated for actuating saidsuppressing means f'or a time interval, said time interval commencingwhen either of said valves is operated.

ll. In combination on a train, automatic brake applying mechanismresponsive t0 traflic conditions in advance of the train, two separatemanually operable acknowledging valves, and means effective only" uponoperation of' both said valves for rendering said automatic mechanismineffective for a time interval which commences when either` one of'said valves is operated.

l2. In combination on a train, automatic brake applying mechanismresponsive to traf-lic conditions in advance of the train, a suppressingvalve comprising a chamber connected with atmosphere through arestricted orifice and means for rendering said automatic mechanismineffective to apply the brakes when said chamber is supplied with fluidpressure, two separate manually operable valves, a reservoir, meanseffective when both said valves are in their normal positions forcharging said reservoir with fluid pressure, and means effective whenboth said valves are in their reverse positions for connecting saidreservoir with said chamber.

3. In combination on a train, automatic brake applying mechanismresponsive to traffic conditions in advance of the train, two separatemanually operable acknowledging valves, and means effective uponoperation of both said valves within a time interval which commenceswhen either such valve is operated for rendering said automatic appaatusineffective to apply the brakes.

M. In combination on a train, automatic brake applying mechanismresponsive to traffic conditions in advance of the train, two separatemanuallyoperable acknowledging valves, and meanseflective upon operationoit' both said valves within a time interval which commences when eithersuch valve is operated for rendering said automatic apparatusineffective to apply the brakes until saidinterval has elapsed.

In testimony whereof `I afiix my signature.

HERBERT A. WALLACE.

